Hayden Carson re-joins Chester on loan from new club after Wolves exit
Defender will remain with the Blues for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign
Hayden Carson has re-joined Chester on loan for the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old central defender made 17 appearances across all competitions during his initial loan spell from Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers but was recalled at the start of the year, with the Blues having anticipated having him until the end of the season.
Wolves’ motivation for recalling Carson, the son of former Liverpool, West Bromwich Albion and England goalkeeper Scott Carson, was that they wanted to sell him before the end of the season, something which has now transpired.
What that means is that Carson is joining Chester on loan from his new club, Salford City, with the League Two side having agreed to let him head to the Deva for the remainder of the campaign.
The Blues had tried unsuccessfully in recent weeks to bring him in from Wolves again, but a deal is now over the line after Wolves agreed to a permanent sale to Salford.
It comes as a boost for interim Chester manager Connell Rawlinson, who will take charge of the remaining National League North campaign after Calum McIntyre left his role last weekend. The first of the 10 remaining league games comes on Saturday when play-off chasing Darlington are the visitors.
For Rawlinson, getting another centre back in the building is important, especially with versatile veteran Kevin Roberts retiring following tomorrow’s clash with the Quakers so as to take up a physiotherapist role with an EFL side on a full-time basis.
Chester could adopt a back three with Rawlinson in charge, with Tom Davies and Phil Croker having established a strong pairing. Saturday/Tuesday games for Davies could be problematic, though, and Chester wanted another strong option to rely on, either in a three or a two, while Tom Leak and youngster Isaac Burgess also remain in the building.
Carson is available for tomorrow’s home encounter with Darlington, who are managed by ex-Chester boss Steve Watson.
Great to see Connell pulling the strings and bringing back a player who looked assured and was a big part of our defensive improvement earlier in the season, especially a player we’d previously struggled to bring back to the club. Carson alongside Davies and Croker will be ideal for the run-in.
Great signing by the new gaffer in Rawlo we trust!!!